Bucci recalls Canada's incredible Pan Am gold

While they may have been underdogs in the baseball competition at last month's Pan Am Games, Bucci says, going into the tournament, "we honestly thought we could win it."

The Team Canada pitcher is back home in Sarnia for a couple of months, before heading to Arizona in January.

He's getting a chance to rest following, what he calls "a whirlwind season" that saw him earn all-star honours with the Brevard County Manatees (Milwaukee Brewers High-A affiliate), then join Team Canada for a magical month-long journey.

First the team amazed everyone with a bronze at the World Cup in Panama. Then, they one-upped themselves by winning gold at the Pan Ams in Mexico.

Bucci said the World Cup bronze bolstered the team's confidence, as did a trio of exhibition games the team played vs. the U.S. prior to the World Cup.

"They were all really close games, like 3-2, 2-1, so we knew we could play with them," said Bucci, of the U.S. team - which also helped matters by beating 10-time defending champs Cuba in the Pan Am semifinals.

Canada came from behind to beat the U.S., 2-1, in the Pan Am final, scoring two late after trailing 1-0 for much of the game.

"It was tense," said Bucci. "Every out, every strike our pitchers threw was so big."

He adds the 5,000, or so, Mexican fans were cheering loudly for Canada - even though the Canadians had eliminated Mexico in the semis.

After throwing five shutout innings vs. Taipei in the World Cup, Bucci came up with a forearm strain and the Brewers instructed him not to pitch in the Pan Am Games.

He says his arm feels better now and he's looking forward to pitching at the 'AA' level in 2012.